Chivito (sandwich)

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Lettuce, tomato, thin filet steak, bacon, ham, mushrooms, olives, mozzarella cheese, onion, egg, garlic mayonaise on a non sesame seed bun

Chivito is the name of a high-calorie national dish in Uruguay, and consists primarily of churrasco beef, bacon, mayonnaise, black or green olives, mozzarella and tomatoes, served in a bun with a side of french fries. Other ingredients might be added into the sandwich such as fried and/or hard eggs, red beets, grilled or pan fried red peppers, pickles and ham. The Canadian Chivito (in Spanish Chivito Canadiense) is a variation of the sandwich, with additional Canadian bacon.

[edit] Origins

The word Chivito can be translated as "little goat" or "baby goat". The reason for this name is because one night, during a blackout, a patron who was from the northern part of Argentina (Cordoba) ordered baby goat meat like one that she had ordered in Argentina. She was looking for a special taste, something similar to what she had experienced in her region. But since Mr. Cabrera did not have this specialty, he served his toasted bread with ham, sliced filet mignon and seasoned it with different ingredients. The patron was so delighted with this special sandwich, that this encouraged Mr. Cabrera to begin the history of the Chivito in Uruguay.

[edit] Variants

Although generally served as a sandwich, the chivito can also be served as a chivito platter (in Spanish Chivito al Plato). The dish would be prepared as an open sandwich, without the bread. The dish is generally served with Russian salad and/or French fries.

[edit] The chivito challenge

The art of making a chivito lies in the quality of the raw materials, and the quick preparation and assembly of the ingredients. The bread (bun) must be fresh and airy. The steak and bacon, fried over a hot plate, are laid over the lower half of the bun on top of the lettuce and tomato, topped with ham, onion and mozzarella cheese. This goes under a grill for a couple of minutes. The grilled cheese is topped with a hard boiled egg , mushrooms, olives, pickles and one of several types of mayonnaise. The professional result gives a unique mix of flavor, and a sandwich that will not scatter in your hands.